Concrete railroad tie product

ABSTRACT

An improved concrete product formed with an attachment device of a type having female threads adapted to cooperate with the threaded ends of bolts or the like inserted thereto. The threads are continuously protected by a sealed plug until ready for use. The interior of the plug serves further the purpose of readily releasing the precast body of concrete from its pouring form. Thus, when the product is ready for use, it is a simple matter to merely drive a screwdriver into the plastic sleeve and unscrew same from insert 17.

O United States Patent 1191 1111 3 9 Kowell Oct. 9, 1973 [54] CONCRETERAILROAD TIE PRODUCT 3,471,118 10/1969 Bormann et a1. 249/86 [75]Inventor: Edward L. Kowell, Greenbrae, Callf- 1,396,566 11/1921 Fieg238/377 [73] Assignees J. H. Pomeroy & Company, Inc.,

San Francisco, Calif. Primary Examiner-Gerald M. Forlenza [22] FfledJune 1972 Assistant ExaminerRichard A. Bertsch [21] Appl. No.: 266,429Att0rneyPaul D. Flehr et a1.

Related US. Application Data Division of Ser. No. 82,638, Oct. 21, 1970,Pat. No.

3,685,782, which is a division of Ser. No. 716,516, March 27, 1968, Pat.No. 3,557,274.

US. Cl 238/84, 52/698, 238/265, 238/371, 249/86, 264/271 Int. Cl E01b3/32 Field of Search 238/83, 84, 87, 91, 238/29, 370, 371, 373, 377,265; 52/704,

698, 701; 249/86, 91, 96, 97; 264/35, 271, 275, 278; l8/DIG. 10; 25/131RR, 131 V, DIG. 9, DIG. 7

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Sewall 238/373 [57] ABSTRACT Animproved concrete product formed with an attachment device of a typehaving female threads adapted to cooperate with the threaded ends ofbolts or the like inserted thereto. The threads are continuouslyprotected by a sealed plug until ready for use. The interior of the plugserves further the purpose of readily releasing the precast body ofconcrete from its pouring form. Thus, when the product is ready for use,it is a simple matter to merely drive a screwdriver into the plasticsleeve and unscrew same from insert 17.

5 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures Patented Oct. 9, 1973 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Patented Oct. 9, 1973 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 CONCRETE RAILROAD TIE PRODUCTCROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS FOR MOLDING A CONCRETE RAILROADTIE.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention pertains to a concreteproduct which has particular utility as concrete railroad ties of atype, for example, as employ prestressing elongate tendons carried undertension therein.

As disclosed herein, a concrete pouring form accessory has been providedfor casting concrete products containing an anchored insert embedded inthe concrete. The accessory comprises a support post adapted to befixedly positioned to a pouring form in a manner so as to projectinwardly from a wall portion of the form. A protective tubular sleeveformed with positive engagement portions, such as exterior threadsformed around the outside of the sleeve, is slidably positioned onto thedistal end of the support post. An anchor element of a type adapted toreceive and hold bolts to be coupled or threaded thereto when embeddedin concrete is carried by the sleeve mounted on the post. Thus, theanchor element is carried in readily releasable positive engagement withthe sleeve whereby unscrewing the sleeve from the anchor element servesto expose the threads for use with bolts of a type adapted to attachrailroad rails to the ties.

= Each anchor element is, in general, provided with lat- ;erallyprotruding portions which serve to develop a SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONAND OBJECTS In general, there has been provided herein a concrete bodyparticularly useful as a railroad tie or sleeper comprised ofa body ofconcrete containing an anchoring insert element embedded therein forforming a point of attachment to the body. Laterally protruding portionsof the insert serve to provide positive holding of the insert to theconcrete body against axial movement of the insert within the body.Positive engagement means, such as threads, are formed interiorly of theinsert and a readily removable protective sleeve is disposed axiallywithin the insert in cooperative engagement with the positive engagementmeans so as to protect the latter from the surroundings during storageand handling.

In addition, the invention contemplates a cooperative disposition ofcertain of the anchored insert elements with respect to tensioned tendonmembers in the tie whereby restraint against axial movement of theembedded insert elements is partially derived directly from thetensioned tendon elements.

In general, it is an object of the present invention to provide animproved precast concrete product, particularly usable as a railroadtie.

It is another object of the invention to provide such a tie productcharacterized by an anchor insert of a type having internal threads andwherein the threads are arranged in protected, sealed condition untilready for application of rails to the tie.

These and other objects of the invention will be more readily apparentfrom the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction withthe drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGS. 1 and 2 are respectively plan andside elevation views of a railroad tie formed according to theinvention;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are respectively enlarged elevation section viewsrespectively taken along the lines 3-3 and 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a schematic end view, in section, showing a pouring formaccessory;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged, exploded, isometric view of a pouring formaccessory;

FIGS. 7 and 8 are each transverse end section views showing a concreteproduct according to the invention respectively in a state immediatelyfollowing removal from the pouring form shown in FIG. 5 and shown inposition ready to receive the application of rails thereto; and

FIG. 9 is an enlarged elevation section view of a central portion of thecasting accessory assembly 28.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT With reference to FIGS.1 and 2, a concrete railroad tie 10 of a type employing prestressingtensioned tendons 11, 12, 13 14 includes molded or cast portions forsupporting railroad rails and ballast portions adapted for contactsignal supports. Thus, the mutually inwardly and downwardly sloping railpad portions 16 are adapted to receive the lower flanges of railroadrails (not shown) in conventional fashion for attachment by means ofthreaded bolts (not shown) which cooperate with interiorly threadedinserts 17 embedded in the concrete. Additional inserts 18 embedded inthe concrete in a ballast zone 19 serve to cooperate with the threadedends of bolts employed for attachment of additional railroad equipmentin the form, for example, of the contact signal type.

From the foregoing, it will be readily apparent that each of inserts 17,18 as embedded in the concrete of the body of railroad tie l0formanchoring points of attachment with tie 10 for coupling forcesacting along the axis of inserts 17, 18 to the body of concrete.

In order to enhance and derive improved holding action and therebyincrease the restraint with which the concrete of each tie 10 holdsinserts 17, which are sub-,

jected to the great forces applied by trains travelling on railssupported upon pad portions 16, it has been found advantageous todispose tendons 12, 13 relatively closely adjacent the sides of inserts17. Thus, tendons 12, 13 have been disposed relative to inserts 17 in amanner whereby a pair of parallel planes 21, 22, disposed parallel tothe axis of inserts 17 and respectively spaced laterally in a commondirection from the axis of inserts 17 may be defined on each side of theinserts 17. The parallel planes thus respectively lie contiguous to thebounding adjacent portions of tendons 12 or 13 respectively and inserts17. The spacing 23 between the parallel planes 21, 22 is sufficientlynarrow so as to cause the tendon 12 to contribute restraint to the axialmovement of inserts 17 in the body of concrete under application offorces to the inserts, as by means of the applied forces experienced bytrains carried on the rails thus supported.

in the method of forming the precast concrete railroad tie bodies, aframe, such as the box-like structure 24, open along the top, serves tohold a wooden pouring form 26 or mold of a type suitable for receivingthe mixed concrete. Tendons 11, 12, 13 and 14 are supported byconventional means in each of the opposite end walls 27 of the pouringform structure.

A concrete pouring form accessory in the form of the casting assembly 28serves to provide the concrete tie with an embedded insert formed withfemale threads 29 for positively engaging the threaded end of a bolt, ofa type as conventionally utilized in applying rails to pads 16. Thethreads 29 of each insert 17 remain sealed from exposure to damaginginfluences whereby at the point of utilization the threads are notclogged or rusted, or otherwise damaged.

Thus, a mounting post 31 is fixedly carried to project inwardly from thewall 32 of pouring form 26. An exteriorly threaded anti-friction sleeve33 threadedly engages the interior threads 29 of annular insert 17.Sleeve 33 includes a smooth interior bore 34 for slidably positioningsleeve 33 onto the upper end portion 310 of post 31. Preferably, sleeve33 consists of an antifriction material such as various known plasticsin order to facilitate its ready removal from post 31.

While only a single post 31 has been described above, it will be evidentthat a number of such mounting posts 31 shall be utilized in cooperationwith the other inserts 17, 18 and the provision of the anti-frictionsliding relation between the interior of sleeves 33 and the exterior ofpost portions 31a can thereby serve to aid in the releasing of eachprecast tie 10 from pouring form 26.

Post 31 includes an enlarged portion 31b serving to carry an annularresilient truncated cone element 37 surrounding post 31 and adapted tobe coated with an application of anti-bonding material such as grease inorder to provide ready removal thereof from the hardened concreteproduct.

Element 37 serves to define access passages 36 behind sleeve 33 and,together with post portion 31b, serves to define the access passagebehind post portion 310 whereby the post portion 310 may be readilyWithdrawn from the concrete body upon hardening of the concrete. 1

Accordingly, it will be readily apparent that element 37 and postportion 31b serve to preserve sufficient clearance axially behind sleeve33 and post portion 31a during placement of concrete so as to permitready removal, first of the post from the sleeves, and later of thesleeve from insert 17 when rails are ready to be secured to the tie 10.

After post 31 has been loosely secured to the wall 32 of form 26, as bymeans of the nut 38 and washer 39, sealing element 37 is slidablypositioned onto post portion 31b. The insert 17, carrying sleeve 33threaded thereto, is slidably placed onto the smooth cylindrical upperpost portion 31a. Sleeve 33 includes a closed end portion 33a wherebythe inner end of insert 17 shall be sealed against entry of concrete.Subsequently, nut 38 is taken up tightly to draw post 31, andparticularly the radially protruding flange portion 310 thereof tightlyagainst the opposite side of wall 32. The skirt 40 of element 37, thencompressed, forms a tight seal around the base of assembly 28.

The inner end of each insert 17 is formed with a radially outwardlyprojecting flange portion 17a forming laterally protruding portionsserving to develop a positive holding anchored engagement with thehardened concrete in which it is submerged. Having completed theforegoing steps, it is then only necessary to pursue the final steps ofpouring hardenable concrete-forming material into mold form 26 whilesealing the mold form at the outer end of sleeve 33 and post 31 in amanner preserving the access clearance behind both of these elements forlater backing them out of the body of concrete after it has hardened.

Subsequently, after permitting the poured material to harden, each tiebody is pulled relatively away from the posts 31 to slidably removeposts 31 from their respective sleeves 33. Sleeves 33 are left in placeuntil the tie 10 is ready for use. At that time sleeves 33 are unscrewedfrom their respective inserts 17 in order to expose the interior threads29 for attachment to suitable threaded bolts as employed for attachmentto rails to be laid upon ties 10.

From the foregoing, it will be readily evident that there has beenprovided an improved concrete product formed with an attachment deviceof a type having female threads adapted to cooperate with the threadedends of bolts or the like inserted thereto. The threads are continuouslyprotected by a sealed plug until ready for use. The interior of the plugserves further the purpose of readily releasing the precast body ofconcrete from its pouring form. Thus, when the product is ready for use,it is a simple matter to merely drive a screwdriver into the plasticsleeve 33 and unscrew same from insert 17.

I claim:

1. In a concrete railroad tie of a type formed as an elongate, generallyrectilinear concrete body, the improvement comprising a plurality oflongitudinally extending tensioned tendons, an elongate insert embeddedin said body between said tendons, the axis of the insert lyinggenerally normal to a common plane through said tendons, said insertserving to form an anchoring point of attachment with the tie andserving to couple forces acting along the axis of the insert to the bodyof concrete of the tie, the tendons being disposed on each side of theinsert in planes closely adjacent thereto whereby on each side of theinsert a pair of planes disposed parallel to the axis of the insert andspaced laterally in a common direction from said axis lie respectivelysubstantially contiguous to the bounding adjacent portion of one of saidtendons and of said insert, the spacing between said parallel planesbeing sufficiently narrow to cause the tendons to contribute restraintto axial movement of the insert in said body under application of forcesto said insert, said insert including female threads therein and anelongate, hollow sleeve threadedly engaging the interior of said insertand forming a readily unscrewable element engaging and protecting saidfemale threads.

2. In a concrete railroad tie according to claim 1 wherein the hollowinterior of said sleeve is formed insert for retaining said attacheddevice, and a readily removable sleeve having a bore formed to include aclosed inner end thereof and disposed axially within the insert inprotective engagement with said positive engagement means.

4. In a concrete product, the construction defined in claim 3 whereinsaid positive engagement means comprises female threads formed about theinterior of the insert and said sleeve includes male threads exteriorlythereof for engaging the first named threads.

5. In a concrete product, a body of concrete, an anchoring insertelement embedded therein for forming a point of attachment to the body,laterally protruding portions of the insert serving to provide positiveholding of the insert to the concrete body against axial movement of theinsert in the body, positive engagement means interiorly of the insertand a readily removable protective sleeve axially within the insert incooperative engagement with said positive engagement means, the sleevebeing further formed with an antifriction, smooth bore therein closed atthe inner end thereof to seal said insert and protect the threads ofsame.

1. In a concrete railroad tie of a type formed as an elongate, generallyrectilinear concrete body, the improvement comprising a plurality oflongitudinally extending tensioned tendons, an elongate insert embeddedin said body between said tendons, the axis of the insert lyinggenerally normal to a common plane through said tendons, said insertserving to form an anchoring point of attachment with the tie andserving to couple forces acting along the axis of the insert to the bodyof concrete of the tie, the tendons being disposed on each side of theinsert in planes closely adjacent thereto whereby on each side of theinsert a pair of planes disposed parallel to the axis of the insert andspaced laterally in a common direction from said axis lie respectivelysubstantially contiguous to the bounding adjacent portion of one of saidtendons and of said insert, the spacing between said parallel planesbeing sufficiently narrow to cause the tendons to contribute restraintto axial movement of the insert in said body under application of forcesto said insert, said insert including female threads therein and anelongate, hollow sleeve threadedly engaging the interior of said insertand forming a readily unscrewable element engaging and protecting saidfemale threads.
 2. In a concrete railroad tie according to claim 1wherein the hollow interior of said sleeve is formed with a relativelysmooth bore therein closed at the inner end thereof to seal said insertand protect the threads of same.
 3. In a concrete product to be securedto an attached device, a body of concrete, an anchoring insert elementembedded therein for forming a point of attachment to the body,laterally protruding portions of the insert serving to provide positiveholding of the insert to the concrete body against axial movement of theinsert in the body, positive engagement means interiorly of the insertfor retaining said attached device, and a readily removable sleevehaving a bore formed to include a closed inner end thereof and disposedaxially within the insert in protective engagement with said positiveengagement means.
 4. In a concrete product, the construction defined inclaim 3 wherein said positive engagement means comprises female threadsformed about the interior of the insert and said sleeve includes malethreads exteriorly thereof for engaging the first named threads.
 5. In aconcrete product, a body of concrete, an anchoring insert elementembedded therein for forming a point of attachment to the body,laterally protruding portions of the insert serving to provide positiveholding of the insert to the concrete body against axiaL movement of theinsert in the body, positive engagement means interiorly of the insertand a readily removable protective sleeve axially within the insert incooperative engagement with said positive engagement means, the sleevebeing further formed with an antifriction, smooth bore therein closed atthe inner end thereof to seal said insert and protect the threads ofsame.